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United States Patent O 3,529,639 DELIMBING MACHINE Kjell Olof Gunnar Herolf, Sundsbruk, Sundsvall, Sweden,

assigner, by mesne assignments, to Kochum Soderhamn Aktiebolag, Soderhamn, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Filed Apr. 26, 1968, Ser. No. 724,387

Claims priority, application Sweden, Apr. 27, 1967,

Int. Cl. A01g 23/08 U.S. Cl. 144-2 11 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A portable delimbing machine is characterized by a frame on which is mounted an array of delimbing members arranged to form a closed polygon, the delimbing members being swingably mounted on shafts having a large angle with respect to the longitudinal direction of the delimbing members. The frame is turnably mounted on a vertical shaft extending from a suitable supporting structure.

The present invention relates to delimbing machines, which are particularly, but not exclusively, suited for the delimbing of tree trunks in connection with their felling places.

`One object of the invention is to provide a delimbing machine of low weight and simple construction, by which the machine can be mounted on a Vehicle, which can move on so-called branch roads, extending from forest roads, and also in terrain.

Another object of the invention is to provide a delimbing device, mounted on a frame which is, preferentially, adapted to be driven, said delimbing device being, in relation to the supporting frame, turnable on a substantially vertical shaft, whereby the delimbing device can be set in various directions, thereby making it possible to feed, rapidly, tree trunks that are spread over the ground next to the spot where the machine is placed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a. delimbing unit, which makes it possible to feed tree trunks rapidly without any particularly great claims on the precision of the positioning of the tree trunk before feeding the same into the machine.

Still further objects of the invention and the advantages as well as the characteristic features thereof will appear from the following description.

A delimbing machine according to the invention cornprises a frame, a delimbing unit mounted thereon and serving for removing the branches from tree trunks fed into the delimbing machine and means for feeding the tree trunks through the delimbing machine. One characteristic feature of the invention resides in that the frame of the delimbing machine is turnably mounted on a substantially vertical shaft on a supporting structure. Said vertical shaft is preferably positioned in a central plane through the delimbing device in the direction of feed of the tree trunks. The frame is` preferably turnable by means of a motor, for instance, a hydraulic motor and adapted to be set in optional angular positions in relation to the supporting structure.

According to another characteristic feature of the invention the delimbing machine presents a delimbing unit, comprising a number of longish delimbing members, which are swingably mounted on shafts, the center line of each such shaft `forming a considerable angle, preferentially about 90, with the longitudinal direction of the delimbing members and preferentially cutting or crossing the main direction of a main line defining the longitudinal direction of the delimbing me-mbers and at least one delimbing member being swingably mounted on ICC a shaft parallel with, or forming only a small angle with, a main line defining the longitudinal direction of the corresponding delimbing member, the latter shaft moreover being preferably positioned at a considerable distance from said last mentioned main line.

Furthermore, the delimbing machine according to the invention may comprise means for grasping and feeding tree trunks into the machine, means for feeding the tree trunks through the machine, means for cutting the delimbed tree trunks to suitable lengths and means for temporarily supporting the delimbed and possibly also sawn-off lengths of trunks.

The delimbing machine is preferably mounted on the chassis of a vehicle, which can move also on branch roads as well as in the terrain.

'llhe invention will be described below in greater detail in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show, diagrammatically, one embodiment of the delimbing machine according to the invention together with certain modifications of the same. FIG. l shows an embodiment of the machine when seen from one side. FIIG. 2 show the machine according to FIG. 1 when viewed from above. FIG. 3 shows a front view of a delimbing unit, forming part of the machine according to FIGS. l and 2, together with feed rolls. FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 show various positions of setting of a number of delimbing members, included in the delimbing machine according to the embodiment in question. FIG. 7 shows a cross sectional view of a delimbing member in the shape of a. cutter, when in operative position close to a tree trunk, and a so-called `feeler, which serves for keeping the cutter in a suitable position in relation to the tree trunk. FIG. 8 corresponds to FIG. 7 and show asn alternative kind of a delimbing member in the shape of a knife. lFIG. 9 shows a front view of a delimbing unit, comprising a number of knife-shaped delimbing members. FIG. 10 show a top view of the delimbing unit according to FIG. 9. FIGS. 1l, l2 and 13 show a top view and a front view, respectively, of the way of mounting a knifeshaped delimbing member with which a delimbing machine according to the invention can be provided. FIG. 14 shows a waist-joint vehicle, on the chassis of which there is mounted a delimbing machine according to the invention.

The delimbing machine according to FIG. l is mounted on the chassis 1 of a diagrammatically shown vehicle having supporting wheels 3. On the chassis there is provided a platform 5 on which a revolving disk 7 is turnably mounted on a shaft 9. The revolving disk 7 supports a frame 11 on which the various units of the delimbing machine are mounted. The frame 11 is adapted to be turned by means of, for instance, a hydraulic motor (not shown) so that it can be set in various directions in relation to the chassis 1 of the vehicle. At its one end the chassis has two erect holders 13 for a number of delimbing members 27a, 27b, 27e, and 27d, which, in the embodiment shown, consist of cylindrical cutters, rotatably mounted in housings 25, within which there are also positioned driving motors, for instance, electric or hydraulic motors, for the cutters. The housings 2S are mounted on shafts v23 which, in turn, are turnable relatively to the housings 21, the latter being secured to the holders 13 of the frame 11. The shafts 23 are interparallel and extend parallel with the direction of feed of the tree trunks to be treated in the delimbing machine.

Feelers 29, which extend along the cutters, are adapted when the machine is in operation, to hold the cutters in correct positions in relation to the surface of the tree trunk being treated.

The machine according to the invention presents one more delimbing member 27e in the shape of a cutter, mounted in a housing 25. Said housing 25, which con- 3 tains also a driving motor for the cutter is mounted on a shaft 23, which is parallel with a vertical plane through the direction of feed of the tree and which is mounted on an arm 31, which is turnable on a shaft, which in turn is supported by holders at that end of the frame 11 which is remote from the delimbing members, said shaft being perpendicular to a vertical plane through the direction of feed of the trunk.

For feeding the tree trunks through the machine there is used a combination of rolls corresponding to two lower rolls 37 and 41 and one upper roll 47. Said rolls are of a kind known per se. The lower rolls 37 and 41 are double-conical and need not be driven, whereas the upper roll 47 is, at its periphery, provided with spikes or the like and is driven by means of a motor 48 via a suitable gearing. The roll 37 is, by means of the shaft 39, mounted on trestles 40, which are rigid with the holders 13, whereas the roll 41 is, by means of the shaft 43, mounted on links 45, which are swingable on the shaft 39 and which are actuated by pressure springs 46, mounted between the frame 11 and the links 45. Hereby the roll is being actuated by a resilient force for the purpose of safeguarding a fully satisfactory engagement between the trunk being fed and all of the rolls of the feeding mechanism. The upper, driven feed roll 47 is mounted on an arm 49, which is swingable on a shaft 33, which may be coaxial or parallel with the shaft of the arm 31.

The arm 49 is actuatable by means of a, for instance, hydraulic motor (not shown) for swinging the arm up and down, so that the roll 47 can be moved into and, respectively, out of engagement with the trunk. Counting in the direction of feed of the trunk there are, after the feed rolls, provided supporting rolls 53 and 55 mounted on holders rigid with the frame 11.

The number of rolls 53 and 55 may be optional. The rolls 53 and 55 are rotatable on shafts perpendicular to a vertical plane through the direction of feed of the trunk.

For feeding non-delimbed tree trunks into the delimbing machine the latter is provided with a crane-like feeding apparatus 57, comprising a post 61 stationarily mounted on the frame 11 and mutually movable parts 62, 64 and 65. The part 62 is mounted on the post 61 and adapted to turn on a vertical shaft 63. Between the parts 62 and 64 there is provided a hydraulic motor 71 and between the parts 64 and 65 there is provided a hydraulic motor 69. As will appear the crane device shown is turnable in such a manner that, by means of the grasping device 67, it can collect non-delimbed tree trunks around the vehicle and move them through the delimbing unit of the machine. In that case also the frame 11, supporting the delimbing apparatus, can be turned on the platform for turning the delimbing unit in a suitable direction in relation to the tree trunks or the heap of tree trunks to be treated in the delimbing machine.

When delimbing the tree trunks and discharging them onto the transfer rolls 53, 55 the trunks may be cut to suitable lengths by means of a cutting device, comprising a guide 73 with a saw chain and driving motor 75. The cutting device is arranged laterally of the path passed by the delimbed trunk and its guide 73 is so arranged as to perform an orbicular motion in one and the same direction between the cutting operations.

As Will appear from FIG. 3 the delimbing members are adapted to be actuated by hydraulic motors 81, mounted between the frame 11 and arms 83 of the shafts 23 on which the motor housings of the delimbing members 27e and 27d are mounted. The delimbing members 27a and 27b are actuated by means of springs 85 and the delimbing member 27e is adapted to be raised and lowered by the actuation of a hydraulic motor 115, FIG. 10. By these possibilities of setting the delimbing members said members may be brought into contact with tree trunks of considerably varying thicknesses, as will appear from FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIG. 4 shows the positions of setting of the delimbing members when delimbing the thickest trunk 91 that can be treated in the machine. In that case all of the delimbing members participate and together they form a symmetrical pentagon. It has been found that the parts of the branches 93 remaining after the passage of the trunk will, owing to'such a combination of five straight delimbing members, not be of such a length that would disturb the subsequent barking of the trunk, provided the trunk is not too thick.

FIG. 5 shows the positions of the delimbing members when delimbing the slim tops of the tree trunks. In that case only the delimbing members 27a, 27h, 27C and 27d take part in the delimbing work and between them they form a quadrangle, which yields an acceptable result when, as in the present case, the delimbing of thin trunk portions is concerned.

FIG. 6 shows the delimbing members in their positions before a non-delimbed tree trunk is fed into the machine. The delimbing members 27C, 27d and 27e then have been swung to their upper maximum positions so that a spacious passage or chute 95 has formed, into which the butt of a tree trunk can be fed or be put from above. In certain cases several tree trunks may simultaneously be fed or put into the machine, particularly when small dimensions are concerned.

FIG. 7 shows a cross sectional view of a delimbing member in the shape of a cutter 27 'with its appertaining feeler 29, which extends along the cutter 27 and is stationary in relation to the motor housing 25, at which the appertaining cutter is mounted. The feeler 29 has a sliding surface 30, which is meant to be in contact with the tree trunk 91 in such a manner that the cutting member 27 will be kept at a suitable distance from the surface of the tree trunk during the delimbing operation.

Although the drawings have shown the delimbing unit to comprise live delimbing members it is, of course, possible to vary the number. One suitable embodiment may consist in providing six delimbing members, all of which are adapted to turn on shafts parallel with the direction of feed of the tree trunk, the delimbing members being then adapted to be set in such a manner that in every working position they form a closed, regular or irregular hexagon.

Although, in the machine according to the invention, the delimbing members may preferably consist of cutters in the manner just described, they may, however, consist also of other members, for instance, knife-shaped members. A cross sectional view of one such knife-shaped member is shown in FIG. 8. In that case the delimbing member comprises a knife blade 101 having a cutting edge 103. In order to effect delimbing by means of such knife-shaped members it is, of course, necessary that the tree trunk 91 be fed in the direction of the arrow P1 with a considerably greater force than the one required if the delimbing members consist of motor-driven cutters. Such feeding of the tree trunks with a great tractive force may be obtained, for instance, by connecting two or more rolls to driving means.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show, respectively, a front view and a top view, of a delimbing unit, in which the cutters of the embodiment according to FIG. 7 have been replaced by turnable knives. In other Words, the cutters have been replaced by knives 101a-e. The knives are positioned in the housings 105 in a manner best appearing from FIGS. 11-13. The housings 105 are mounted on the same shafts 23 as the housings 25 in the embodiment according to FIGS. 1-7. The knives 101 are mounted on shafts. 131 lwhich are perpendicular to the shafts 23 and mounted in the housings 105, which are provided with two stops 135 and 137, which confine the possibilities of the knife to turn on the shaft 131 in such a manner that the knife can turn only within the sector defined by said stops and the center line of the shaft `131. The knife 101 may be kept in its central position between the stops 13S and 137 by means of a helical spring 133 around the shaft 131. The point of the knife may preferably be located ahead of and somewhat above the center.

As will be seen from FIGS. 11-13 the longitudinal cutting edge 104 of the knife edge 103 coincides with the center line of the shaft 131, which, however, is not absolutely necessary, since the main thing is that at least the major part of the knife blade 101 is situated behind the center line of the shaft 131, counting in the direction of feed of the tree trunk, so that the knife blade will perform a dragging movement on the surface of the tree trunk. Hereby the knives are prevented from cutting into the tree trunk, by which also the forward feeding of the tree trunk and, respectively, the cutting-olf of the same will be prevented.

In FIG. it is shown, how the arm 31 of the delimbing member 101e-said arm being turnable on the shaft 111-may be swung up and down by means of a hydraulic motor 115 mounted between a bracket 113 and the frame of the machine.

The arm 49, which is turnable on the shaft 117 and lwhich supports the feed roll 47, is adapted to swing up and down by means of a hydraulic motor 121 mounted between a bracket 119 on the arm 49 and the frame of the machine.

FIG. 14, nally, shows a Waist-joint cross-country tractor 141, on the rear part of which 143 there is mounted on a vertical shaft 9, in the same way as already described in connection with FIGS. 1-7, a delimbing apparatus having a feed-in crane and cutting means. Owing to the fact that the delimbing unit can be set to any directions desired and owing also to the fact that the waist-joint tractor provides for a rapid setting of the two tractor halves in any desired manner, this forest machine is readily and rapidly adaptable to various accidental situations at the places where the delimbing work is to be done.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown and described, because these may be varied and modified in different ways within the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for delimbing a felled tree, which comprises a vehicle having a platform;

a substantially vertical shaft mounted on said vehicle platform;

a frame turnably mounted on said substantially vertical shaft;

a device, including tree-gripping members for feeding a tree into the machine said feeding device turnably mounted on a substantially vertical shaft in said frame; and

means for moving a tree through the machine.

2. A delimbing machine according to claim 1, in which the vertical shaft of the frame is positioned in a central plane through the delimbing machine in the direction of feed of the tree.

3. A delimbing machine according to claim 1, wherein the frame is turnable on said vertical shaft by means of a motor, and is adapted to assume any desired angular position With respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

4. A delimbing machine according to claim 1, in which the delimbing unit comprises a number of elongate delimbing members, said members together defining a closed polygon Iwhen viewed in a plane perpendicular to the direction of feed of a tree.

5. A delimbing machine according to claim 4, wherein at least some of the delimbing members are swingably mounted on shafts forming a considerable angle with the longitudinal axis of the delimbing members and substantially parallel with the direction of feed of the tree.

6. A delimbing machine according to claim 4, in which at least some of the delimbing members comprise substantially cylindrical cutters, each being driven by its own motor.

7. A delimbing machine according to claim 1, in which the delimbing unit comprises delimbing members in the form of elongate knives, which are, to a limited extent, turnable on shafts extending in the longitudinal direction of the knives.

8. A delimbing machine according to claim 7, in which at least a major part of each knife is adapted to be positioned in the direction of feed of the tree, behind a plane perpendicular to the direction of feed of the tree, and containing the shaft of rotation of the knife, said shaft extending in the longitudinal direction of the knife.

9. A delimbing machine according to claim 1, in which said tree feeding device is a crane-like device.

10. A delimbing machine according to claim 1, in which the vertical shaft of said tree feeding device is located on the exit side of the machine.

11. A delimbing machine according to claim 1, which further includes rolls, located on the exit side of the machine, supporting and guiding the delimbed tree.

References Cited 4 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,583,971 1/1952 Shuf 144-3 3,074,446 l/ 1963 Earl 144-3 3,326,251 6/1967 Herolf et al. 144-2 3,351,107 11/1967 Hamilton 144-3 FOREIGN PATENTS 598,362 5 1960 Canada. 148,499 1962 U.S.S.R.

GERALD A. DOST, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. XR. 144-208 

